


If No One Loves Me Now, Someday Somebody Will

by sawberry



Series: Sarah Goes to the Movies [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alcohol, Bullying, Fighting, Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Minor Character Death, Peer Pressure, Pining, Suicide Attempt, Violence, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-02-20 11:59:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13146243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sawberry/pseuds/sawberry
Summary: Ryan Haywood is trying hard to navigate his senior year of high school. He forms an alliance with the most popular boys in school, the Lads, thinking it will ensure his survival. But, when he falls for the newest bad boy in town, Geoff Ramsey, Ryan has to worry about his survival and the rest of the student body's. Can he do it?---Tags will be updated as chapters are uploaded to avoid major spoilers.





	1. September 1st, 1989

**Author's Note:**

> Sup Y'all? We're making some changes! So, I was getting really tired of writing the same stuff for TGFACHSW and could tell it was dragging my page down traffic wise so we're switching up how things are gonna be written. I've got a list of multi-chapter fics (with some one-shots) thrown in to keep it fresh AF. This is first on the list and TGFAHCSW is last.
> 
> That being said, please enjoy this entirely self-indulgent AU that literally nobody asked for or wanted. Happy Holidays!

_ Dear Diary: _

_ I believe I'm a good person. You know, I think that there's good in everyone, but—here we are! First day of senior year! And uh... I look around at these kids that I've known all my life and I ask myself—what happened? _

 

Ryan looked around the cafeteria at all the kids he'd known his whole life. They all used to be so happy, eating glue and playing tag. It must've been puberty that triggered the sudden influx of assholeness in everyone, turning a simple school into the Thunderdome. 

 

Ryan tried to shake the pessimistic thoughts from his head. Sure, the human race has its many flaws, but it wasn't that bad.  There was beauty in everything if you looked hard enough. He caught sight of one of the football players knocking over some kid in a sweater and coke bottle glasses.

 

He just had to look  _ really _ hard.

 

"Hey, are you ok?" Ryan asked, going over and offering his hand to help the poor hipster up.

 

"Get away, nerd!" The kid yelled, scrambling up and away from Ryan. 

 

"Oh...okay," Ryan muttered to himself. He turned and made his way to the lunch line. He stood for awhile, moving with the mass of warm bodies. He let his mind drift to images of ivy-covered walls and smoky French cafés, all the things that would await him when he finally got accepted into a college and could ditch this town. 

 

He grabbed his tray and filled it with the food the looked the most edible from the line, pulling a face at whatever it was they were trying to pass off as chicken salad. Almost as quickly as his tray was filled it was knocked out of his hand and onto his shirt. 

 

"Oops," A deep voice drawled. Tyler Coe. Third year as a linebacker and eighth year of smacking lunch trays and being a huge dick. Judging by the look on his face, Ryan had said that last part out loud. "What did you say to me, dweeb?"

 

"Aah, nothing!" Ryan started, quickly salvaging what food he could before he darted to his usual lunch table. He set his tray down and looked around the cafeteria. The idea to light a match and set this whole damn place ablaze crossed his mind for the third time that day. The thought was pushed from his mind as he locked eyes with Jack.

 

Jack Patillo had been his best friend since they were in diapers. He approached the table with a bright smile. That was one of the things Ryan had always appreciated about Jack, he never seemed to let life get to him. He was always happy.

 

"We still on for movie night?" Jack asked, setting down his lunchbox and beginning to rustle through it. 

 

_ Wednesday night, _ Ryan remembered,  _ the night for cheesy romcoms and buttery popcorn. _

 

"Yeah, you're on Jiffy Pop detail," Ryan answered, gesturing to Jack with his plastic fork. 

 

"I rented  _ the Princess Bride _ !" Jack beamed

 

"Again?" Ryan laughed, "Wait, don't you have it memorized by now?"

 

"What can I say?" Jack sighed, leaning his hand on his fist, "I'm a sucker for a happy ending."

 

"Jack Padildo! Prepped for a wide load!" A voice yelled as it passed. Blaine Gibson. Quarterback. He is the smartest guy on the football team. Which is kind of, like being the tallest dwarf. Blaine knocked Jack's lunchbox to the cafeteria floor. He high-fived Tyler Coe and Ryan saw red.

 

"Hey!" He yelled, a few of the people around looked up briefly but looked down immediately after, "Pick that up! Right now!"

 

"I'm sorry," Blaine laughed, gesturing to himself with the same asshole grin he'd had since seventh grade, "are you actually talking to me?"

 

"Yes, I am." Ryan fumed, gaining confidence and leaning over the table to get in Blaine's face, "I wanna know what gives you the right to pick on my friend. You're a high school has-been waiting to happen. A future gas station attendant."

 

Blaine was quiet for a moment and Ryan reveled in it. It felt good to knock him down a few inches, to feel on top, to-

 

"You have a zit right there...," Blaine poked at the blemish that Ryan had thought he'd hidden with his hair. The force behind the poke pushed him back into his chair, nearly toppling him to the floor. The two walked off and cackled. Jack gave him a sad look as Ryan let out a huff. Lunch continued, the dull drone of nearly a hundred people talking buzzing in that air until it all went silent. Ryan looked up and quickly understood why.

 

It was the Lads. The three pretty boys of Westerburg High. They floated above all of it, never teased or bullied, always invited to the parties, slept with the coolest people.

 

There's Jeremy Dooley. The leader of all things school spirit, which included being head cheerleader. Combine muscles, a rich dad, and the flexibility that came with years of gymnastics and it was a no-brainer as to why the Lads scooped him up.

 

Gavin Free. A foreign exchange student and in charge of the yearbook. No discernible personality, but he's got a British accent and is popular so that's all he needs.

 

Then there's Michael Jones. The Almighty. Has everyone worshipping at his feet. He is one of the biggest pieces of shit this hell hole has to offer. 

 

The Lads went didn't bother with the lunch line, instead, making a beeline for the football table. Ryan watched as the football players puffed up like proud apes while the lads swooned. He wanted to gag. 

 

"God, they're like solid Teflon—never bothered, never harassed," Jack said, glancing where Ryan had been.

 

"No kidding," Ryan agreed, gathering his garbage, "I would give anything to be like that."

 

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. Jack gave him a quick goodbye before succumbing to the swarm of bodies trying to get to class on time. Ryan had a study hall so he meandered to the restroom instead. Once there he heard vomiting and quickly hid in a stall before the others could see him.

 

"Grow up, Gavin," Michael called from his place in front of the mirror, "Bulimia is so '87."

 

"Maybe you should see a doctor, Gavin," Jeremy supplies more helpfully, he looks to be standing outside the door Gavin is in.

 

"Yeah Jeremy," Gavin replied, pausing to spit, "Maybe I should."

 

All noise paused at the sound of footsteps coming towards the bathroom. Ryan caught sight of the clunky heels under the stall door. Ms. Fleming no doubt.

 

"Ah, Michael, Jeremy"

 

Gavin interrupted her with another gag.

 

"And Gavin," she sighed, "Perhaps you didn't hear the bell over all the vomiting. You're late for class"

 

Ryan got an idea. He frantically reached into his bag for his journal and pen. He tore out a piece of paper and began frantically scribbling. 

 

"Gavin wasn't feeling well," Michael replied cooly, slipping away from his spot in front of the mirror, "We're helping him."

 

"Not without a hall pass, you're not," Ms. Fleming moved to grab her detention slips out of her fanny pack, "Week's detention."

 

The other boys began to scoff and Ryan saw his moment to shine. He slipped out of the bathroom and gave Ms. Fleming the paper before calmy washing his hands. 

 

"Actually, Ms. Fleming, all four of us are out on a hall pass," He said, not making eye contact, "Yearbook committee."

 

"I see you're all listed," She said after looking at the paper, she thrust it back to Ryan, "Hurry up and get where you're going."

 

With that, she left the bathroom and Ryan let out a heavy breath. That was until he turned around and saw all the lads looking at him. Michael looked confused, Gavin was wiping his mouth and looking at him with disdain, and he couldn't quite read Jeremy's expression. He held his breath as Michael made his way towards him, snatching the paper out of his hand.

 

"This is an excellent forgery," He said, cutting eyes to Ryan, "Who are you?"

 

"Uh... Ryan Haywood," He answered before taking a deep breath, "I crave a boon."

 

"What boon?"

 

"Let me sit at your table, at lunch. Just once. No talking necessary. If people think that you guys tolerate me, then they'll leave me alone..." The lads had started laughing but he pushed forward, "Before you answer, I also do report cards, permission slips, and absence notes."

 

"How about prescriptions?" Gavin asked.

 

"Shut up, Gavin," Michael called, stalking towards Ryan.

 

"Sorry, Michael," Gavin said, looking down at his shoes. Ryan was startled at his submissiveness but was distracted by Michael circling him.

 

"For a greasy little nobody," Michael said, grabbing Ryan's chin, "You do have good bone structure."

 

"And a symmetrical face," Jeremy piped up, staring at Ryan intently, "If I took a meat cleaver down the center of your skull, I'd have matching halves. That's very important."

 

"Of course, you could stand to lose a few pounds," Gavin sneered, leaning where Michael once was near the sink.

 

"Ya know? This could be beautiful," Michael had stopped his circling and came face to face with Ryan, "Some new clothes, a hair straightener."

 

"Makeovers are always fun," Jeremy said, his smile looked so genuine that Ryan couldn't help but return it. 

 

"You're right Lil' J," Michael turned, his smile predatory in comparison to Jeremy's, "Meet me by the football field after school. We'll do some cruising and see what we can do to bring you up to Lad status."

 

"Tonight?" Ryan asked, his mind racing with thoughts of Jack and Mandy Patinkin.  

 

"You got somewhere else to be?" Gavin snarked, observing his nails from where he was now perched on the sink. 

 

"Nope," He answered quickly, shuffling in place, "Nothing I can think of."

 

"Good," Michael patted his cheek before twirling on his heel and grabbing his bag from under the sink. 

 

Ryan couldn't help his eyes from drifting to where the other boy's underwear peeked out from above the waistline of his shorts, turning as red as the lace he'd caught sight of. When Michael grabbed his stuff the others seemed to follow suit, both pausing to check their appearance before going to their rightful spots next to Michael.  

 

"We'll see you after school," Michael nodded, moving towards the door. Jeremy and Gavin followed him in a nearly straight line, Gavin's shoulder knocking against Ryan's as he passed. 

 

Ryan wanted to leave the restroom but it felt like he was glued to the floor. He was going to become a Lad. He was going to be popular. God, what would it be like? He stays in his spot until the bell rings.

 

The rest of the day goes by uneventfully, the teacher's voices turning into something from a Charlie Brown special. Eventually, the final bell rang and Ryan makes his way to his locker.

 

"Hey, Rye!" Jack calls, Ryan catches sight of him down the hall. He's waving at him with a big smile and Ryan's heart breaks a little bit. It's a small lie, barely anything, for a little bit of popularity and peace. It wasn't that bad, was it?

 

"Hey Jack," Ryan said, he takes a deep breath and goes over his story again, "I've got some bad news."

 

"Wassup?" Jack asks, leaning against the locker next to Ryan's.

 

"Mr. Gowan decided to be a real asshat and assign a paper for tonight," Ryan closes locker and turns to look at Jack, "It looks like I can't make movie night."

 

"Damn dude," Jack deflates a little and Ryan almost takes it back. Almost.

 

"Yeah man," He glances at his watch, "I've gotta jet if I'm gonna catch the bus. We'll do it next week though. One hundred percent, ok?"

 

He stays long enough to see Jack nod before jogging off the football field. He spots a red blur that can only be Michael. 

 

"Glad you could make it blue-eyes," Michael says, moving towards the slick, red car in front of them. 

 

"Shotgun!" Gavin calls, nearly knocking Ryan over in his dash to the front seat. 

 

"Looks like you're stuck in the back with me," Jeremy jokes, getting in the back seat with Ryan.

 

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Ryan says, flashing Jeremy a smile. He swears he sees the other boy blush. They're peeling out of the parking lot before he can analyze it though. 

 

From there it's a blur of different shops and malls. Anytime Ryan tries to contest he's silenced as one of the Lads slides a credit card across the counter. It's dark and Ryan's got several bags full of clothes by the time they drop him off at his house. He trudges up to his room, tossing his bags on the floor before falling face first onto his bed.

 

He cast a glance to the bags on the floor, all of them overflowing with various blue fabrics. The Lads each had a signature color and Jeremy had insisted Ryan get his own. The vote has been unanimously blue,  _ its the eyes _ Gavin had said before diving back into a pile of shirts. 

 

Ryan got up and dug through the bags, putting up clothes and trying to find something to wear for tomorrow. He settled on the tightest pair of pants he'd ever worn, a light blue button-up with dark blue polka dots, and a bolo tie because,  _ 'you've got that Georgia, cowboy thing. Use it,' _ Michael had insisted. 

 

He hung the outfit up on his door and changed down to his boxers, curling up under his comforter. His nerves kept him up for awhile, be did eventually fall into a dreamless sleep.


	2. It's Time for You to Prove You're Not a Loser Anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan has his first lunch as a Lad and must make a decision on what's more important, his friendship or social standing? This combined with the introduction of a new kid at the school give him a real inside look at what being a Lad is really like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen, I understand this isn't taking off as well as I thought it would. But, the entire thing is self-indulgent and I have 16 chapters planned so it's staying motherfuckers, get used to it. It's ok though, next up we go back to "Genghis Khan" which Y'all seemed to like. Also, for those of you who do enjoy it, sorry this is so short. The next one may be as well because they're nothing but character development and stepping stones to a major plot point.
> 
> That being said, enjoy!

Ryan was starting to get creeped out by all the eyes that seemed to follow him through the halls. If he had known that all he needed to do for some positive attention was get a haircut and throw on some blue clothes, he'd have done it a  _ long _ time ago. He was being flirted with, smiled at, and not messed with. It was paradise.

 

He strode into the cafeteria, making it through the lunch line easily. He saw Jack waving him down from their usual table. He was about to head towards the other boy when a voice called to him from across the crowded room.

 

"Yo, Haywood!"

 

"Shut up Gavin, Jesus."

 

Ah yes, he was a Lad now. That meant he had to sit with them at lunch. He headed towards the Lads' designated table, shrugging in response to the perplexed look Jack shot him. They were all hunched over their lunch trays and talking about some party when he arrived.

 

"I hear Tyler's parents are gonna be out of town for the weekend," Jeremy gushed, whispering like it was some sort of secret and Tyler hadn't told everyone, "He's supposed to be throwing a  _ killer _ party."

 

"I don't know, aren't the football boys a little..." Gavin gestured with his fork while searching for the word, "primitive?"

 

"Yeah but they've always got good booze," Michael countered, stabbing a carrot, "What about you Rye, what do you think?"

 

"I'm not really a huge fan of the football players or booze," He answered slowly, trying to gauge their responses, "But parties are always fun."

 

"See look," Michael slapped Gavin on the shoulder, "Ryan wants to go."

 

Ryan didn't have the heart to really disagree with him, not when Jeremy practically beamed at him for taking his side. It was worth Gavin's subtle glare from across the table.

 

"Can we at least make it fun?" Gavin asked petulantly, "How about a prank?"

 

"Ooh, it has been awhile since we pulled a good prank," Michael tapped his chin as he looked around the cafeteria, "What about something for Padildo over there? There's gotta be something we can do to him."

 

"Ryan seems to know him pretty well," Gavin offered primly, taking a bite of his salad, "Maybe he can help us think of something."

 

They all turned to Ryan. His blood ran cold. He couldn't give them anything on Jack, they'd destroy him somehow. Lad pranks always cut a bit too deep and Jack didn't deserve that.

 

"I don't know," Ryan said, glancing at the other boys, "Jack's a sweetheart, can't it be someone else?"

 

"Fuck me gently with a chainsaw, do I look like Mother Teresa?" Michael said sarcastically, turning to face Ryan head on, "Look, I teach people like Jack, ok? I teach them about life. You know what life does to losers like Jack fucking Patillo? Sucks them dry. You wanted to fuck with the eagles Haywood, now learn to fly."

 

Ryan swallowed. He had a choice here, sacrifice his friend for a cushy life the rest of high school or tell Michael "no" and have the Lads socially destroy him. He glanced over at Jack, the other boy's attention divided between the book in his lap and looking longingly at Tyler Coe. Ryan sighed before turning to Michael. Jack was a big boy, he could take care of himself.

 

"He's got a big crush on Tyler Coe," Ryan sighed, glancing over the jock table, "Maybe we could do something with that?"

 

"There's no way he's gonna come to Tyler's party," Jeremy said, scratching the back of his neck in thought. 

 

"Not unless he get's an invitation," Gavin said, tone turning wicked.

 

"And what's more romantic than a handwritten invitation?" Michael asked, turning to Ryan. Ryan sighed and pulled a notebook out of his bag. He scrawled quickly, trying not to think about what it would do to Jack. He cast one more glance over at his unsuspecting friend before ripping the paper out of his notebook. 

 

"Now," Michael looked around the cafeteria, "If we give to him, it'll look suspicious..."

 

"Leave that to me," Gavin picked the paper from between Michael's fingers and sashayed over to the jock table, making sure to accentuate just how tight his pleather green pants were. 

 

They all watched as he leaned over and wrapped his arm around Tyler's broad chest and said something near his ear. The bigger man perked up and looked at Ryan with a deviant grin. He stood up and crumpled the paper into a ball before launching it across the cafeteria. It landed perfectly in Jack's lap, right in the middle of his book. Tyler turned around and smiled at Ryan again, giving him a wink. Ryan blushed and Gavin just gave him a kiss on the cheek before waltzing back over to their table.

 

"What did you do?" Jeremy asked in awe.

 

"Simple," Gavin answered haughtily, sitting down, "I told Tyler that Ryan didn't think he could toss that paper across the cafeteria, told him Ryan was probably just saying it to be a tease because he liked him."

 

Ryan let out an indignant sputter at the same time Michael laughed.

 

"Gotta admit Gav, that's pretty good," Michael looked over at Ryan's angry face, "Chill Haywood, Tyler thinks everybody's in love with him but never does anything about it. He's a total pussy, like Gavin here."

 

This time it was Gavin who let out the indignant sputter, gasping out Michael's name. The three of them dissolved into petty bickering, the noise reminding him of the chicken's on the farm back in Georgia. His attention didn't stay on the sound of their squabbling for long. A kid walked into the cafeteria and Ryan was enamored immediately. 

 

He wore a long, dark coat that must have been oppressive in the Texas heat and had hands that were covered in tattoos. There was something about him that made Ryan want to go talk to him, to have some sort of relationship with him.

 

"-asshole," Michael said.

 

"What?" Ryan asked, realizing Michael was talking to him.

 

"I asked, 'who's the kid you're looking at Haywood? He looks like an asshole' but from the goo-goo eyes you were giving him I'm inclined to say you disagree."

 

"I was not giving him 'goo-goo eyes'," Ryan said, putting air quotes around stupid words.

 

"You're right," Jeremy said, "It was more like heart eyes."

 

"You think?" Gavin turned to Jeremy, "I was thinking more along the lines of star-struck."

 

"Ooh, that works too," Jeremy pretended to contemplate the various adjectives.

 

"Shut up," Ryan said, exasperated, "I just realized that I didn't immediately recognize him and was trying to figure out if I knew him, that's all."

 

"Listen, Ryan," Michael said, pretending to console the other man, "If the whole school shooter vibe is what gets you hot, we won't judge you."

 

Ryan just put his head in his hands and groaned, the others paid him no attention as they thought of more insults for the new kid. Jeremy had just finished talking about how he looked like "he was going for a 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' vibe but forgot the good part and just added more ugly" when the bell rang. Ryan's heart filled with relief as he got up and threw away his garbage. His next class was chemistry, it also had no Lads.

 

He gave the Lads a wave before heading to class, bobbing and weaving through the crowds of students. He was nearly to the class when he heard his name being called. He turned around and saw Jack clutching a crumpled piece of paper to his chest and looking the happiest he'd ever been. Ryan's heart broke a little bit but he put on a fake smile.

 

"What's going on Jack?" Ryan asked, looking Jack up and down. 

 

"Tyler invited me to his homecoming party!" Jack yelled happily, showing Ryan the all too familiar note, "He threw it to me at lunch and everything! This proves he’s been thinking about me!"

 

"Color me stoked!" Ryan said, trying to match Jack's enthusiasm.

 

"I’m so happy!" Jack was vibrating with excitement and Ryan almost told him the truth. The minute bell for class stopped him though, Jack threw him a goodbye and a promise to call him later that night as he jogged to class.

 

Ryan slowly walked into class and flopped down into his usual seat and tried to rub away the growing pain behind his eyes. Any hope of solace in this class was thrown out of the window when the new kid slid in through the doorway just as the final bell rang. 

 

He sat in the far back of the room at an empty desk and looked bored. He caught Ryan's eye and gave him a lazy smirk. Ryan immediately turned back around, just in time to see Blaine and Tyler making their way towards the new kid. 

 

This class was looking to be interesting, but Ryan couldn't tell if that was going to be a good thing or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Mystery, intrigue, suspense, pining, what will happen next with our lovestruck boy? Stay tuned to find out. 
> 
> Next up we're going back to Los Santos to see if Team Love n' Stuff is really as good as everybody thinks they are in "Genghis Khan".
> 
> Remember to like, comment, and subscribe!
> 
> -Sarah


	3. Could You Be Seen with Me and Still Act Proud?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Class starts with a bang to say the least. In the aftermath, Ryan learns a name and some new rules about how he's supposed to live his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyy my dudes! What's happenin'? It's the story that none of you all like but I'm gonna keep writing because I do what I want! That being said, enjoy some violence and a pining Haywood!

Ms. Yates was late again. Not a shock at this point. Most of the kids knew if they really needed to find her she'd either be in the teacher's lounge pouring whiskey into her coffee or in the bathroom crying as she left another voicemail for her ex-husband. Ryan sighed thinking about it. Were they all destined to be that depressing when they grew up?

 

He tried to push the thought from his mind as he opened his textbook, scanning the various vocabulary terms that would inevitably be on the test Friday. He moved to grab some index cards from his backpack when he felt an odd sensation, he was being watched. He looked up and locked eyes with the stranger from the lunchroom. The darkly clothed man was staring at him unabashedly, smirking when he spotted the faint blush on Ryan's cheeks. 

 

Ryan quickly snatched the index cards from his bag and turned back to his desk, ignoring the faint chuckle from the back of the room. Blaine and Tyler both barged into class, laughing loudly at some more than likely lewd and awful joke they'd been discussing earlier. 

 

"Damn, Ms. Yates still not here?" Tyler asked nobody in particular.

 

"If she's not here in fifteen minutes we can leave," Blaine said, nudging Tyler, "We could try and sneak into the girl's locker room again, heard they had to get rid of the shower doors because of some mold."

 

"Sweet!" They both high-fived. Ryan rolled his eyes and turned back to his textbook. 

 

"You all seriously can't rub your four brain cells together and think of something better to do?" All heads whipped around to the stranger in the back. He was leaning back in the chair with his feet propped up on the table, a lazy smirk painted on his face.

 

"The fuck'd you just say to me?" Blaine snarled, moving towards the boy.

 

"Who you think you're talking to punk?" Tyler moved with Blaine, both of them surrounding the kid. The tension in the air was thick, clogging Ryan's lungs and making his heart beat in double time.

 

"I'm just saying," the new kid maintains his casual air but drops his chair legs back to the floor, "I know you football boys can only think so hard after knocking your half-empty skulls in those helmets. But maybe while you're stumbling around the field like newborn dear you can think of something more productive to do besides jerking it to girls who don't even wanna  _ spit _ in your direction."

 

There's a harsh moment of silence one he finishes, the classroom reeling from his words. Then in a flash Blaine's rearing back to punch him. Ryan closes his eyes, not wanting to see the stranger's beautiful face marred, but opens them quickly when he doesn't hear the sound of a nose breaking. No, he hears Blaine get the wind knocked out of him.

 

The stranger had grabbed Blaine's fist and used it to pull him down chest first onto the table. Tyler was so in shock he wasn't prepared for when the stranger vaulted over the table, placing all his weight on one hand in the middle of Blaine's shoulders, and kicked him in the chest. Tyler stumbled back and fell to the ground. 

 

Blaine seemed to gather his bearings and grabbed both of the stranger's arms, immobilizing them. Tyler seemed to gather himself too, moving to wallop the defenseless man. Once close enough the stranger kicked him squarely in the groin, sending him to the ground on his knees, before planting his boot between Tyler's eyes. With Tyler down, the man bucked back and head-butted Blaine in the face. Blaine released him to grab his face and was quickly greeted with a hard left hook.

 

Someone had called into the hallway for a teacher to come but it was white noise in Ryan's mind. All he could focus on was how this kid moved, how readily he'd stood up to those dicks and easily he was kicking ass. He shouldn't be so enthralled with this crap, but this guy made it look good.

 

Ryan was broken from his hypnosis by teachers rushing into the classroom, one of which being Ms. Yates. They pulled the boys off of each other, sending Blaine and Tyler to the nurse while the stranger was to "report the principal's office immediately". Before he left though, he locked eyes with Ryan and winked. 

 

Ms. Yates tried to get the class under control, taking attendance. She was a little red and her voice stuttered a little, so it was the bathroom ex-call today. She had just raised a piece of chalk to the board when the phone rang. She walked over and picked it up, muttering into it quickly before hanging up.

 

"Looks like the new kid left his backpack," She said, clapping her hands together, "Anybody willing to run it down to the office."

 

Ryan tried not to raise his hand too eagerly. Ms. Yates nodded her head and he went to the back to grab the black bag, quickly moving out of the classroom. He walked into the office, nodding politely to the secretary. All she did was point to a chair where the kid sat. He moved towards him, halfway there they locked eyes and the stranger gave him that damn smirk again. 

 

“Was hoping you’d come,” he said.

 

“And why’s that?” Ryan asked, going for coy and really hoping he wasn’t missing the mark.

 

“You seem interesting,” he said, looking Ryan up and down, “I like interesting people.”

 

“And who might you be?”

 

“Geoffrey Lazer Ramsey, but you can call me Geoff,” he grabbed Ryan’s hand, kissing the knuckles gently, “and you are?”

 

“James Ryan Haywood, but everyone calls me Ryan,” He handed Geoff his backpack, glad he could stop calling him “stranger”, “at your assistance”

 

Geoff took the bag and sat back down in the chair, gesturing to the one next to him. Ryan should get back to class, but the secretary isn’t paying attention and he’d already studied the material so what was a few minutes? Right?

 

“So,” Ryan drawled, “What makes me interesting?”

 

“Haven’t put my finger on it yet,” he answers, looking over Ryan, “but you’re definitely interesting.

 

"You'll have to tell me when you figure it out then," Ryan leans towards Geoff a bit, "Because I've  _ kind of _ made it a point to not be interesting and fly under the radar."

 

"Well, you're doing a bad job with that fucking tie."

 

"Language, Ramsey!" The secretary points a stiletto nailed finger at them both. Ryan tries not to giggle when Geoff stick his tongue out after she turns around.

 

"I was told by a friend it helps with my whole 'Georgia, cowboy thing," Ryan put air quotes around the phrase, making Geoff laugh. Ryan decided he loved that sound and wanted to hear it every day.

 

"There's a cowboy, horse riding, sex joke in their somewhere but I honestly can't think of how to phrase it," Ryan was very quickly learning that Geoff was bold and flirty, Ryan could work with that.

 

"Riding isn't my favorite thing but it'll work in a pinch," Ryan says, adding on a wink for good measure. Geoff laughs again and Ryan can't tell if his face is red from laughing or a blush. He's about to open his mouth to comment on it when a familiar voice interrupts them.

 

"So, who's you're friend Rye-Rye?" Gavin asked. He has his head cocked, trying to look innocent. Geoff gets out an answer before Ryan can.

 

"Name's Geoff Ramsey, Mr. Salsa Verde," He's lazing in the small chair now, legs spread and arms wide, "What's it to ya?"

 

"I'm one of Ryan's friends," Gavin preens, "Need to make sure he's not associating with any  _ unsavory _ characters."

 

"I assure you, I'm so sweet I'll give you diabetes."

 

"Mr. Haywood, Mr. Free," That damn secretary, "No need to fraternize. You both should head back to class."

 

Ryan sighed, getting up and trying to ignore Gavin's smug face. He was about to follow Gavin towards the door when a hand grabbed his wrist. Geoff once again placed a soft kiss on Ryan's knuckles.

 

"Until next time,  _ Mr. Haywood _ ."

 

Ryan couldn't help the blush, feeling his face heat up as Gavin all but dragged him out of the office.

 

"I'm all for playing boys like a piano Ryan," Gavin said, looking and speaking to Ryan like he was a child, "But even  _ you _ can do better than that oaf."

 

"I don't know, he seems harmless," Ryan stopped himself before he could add on handsome and covered in tattoos.

 

"He also kicked Tyler and Blaine's shit in," Gavin countered, looking Ryan in the eye, "Associating with people who fuck over the most popular guys in school is a sure fire way to commit social suicide. You don't get to pick and choose what parts of popularity you want. You wanna be like us? You gotta walk like us, talk like us, and fuck like us. Got it?"

 

He had gradually moved closer to Ryan until they were nearly nose to nose. He'd never been this close to Gavin and it was more than a little intimidating. He nodded to answer Gavin's question.

 

"Good," He reached up and patted Ryan's cheek before turning on his heel, back to whatever class he'd come from, "Remember you're supposed to be at Michael's Saturday at eight to get ready for the party, don't be late."

 

Ryan heaved a sigh and slowly trudged back to class. Popularity came with more rules and regulations then he'd anticipated. This stuff may just kill him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time we meet we're gonna be back in Los Santos with a much different Gavin and Ryan. We'll be back in Los Santos seeing just what Stephen is really up to. Stay tuned!
> 
> -Sarah


	4. Fight Pain with More Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little personal when Ryan and Michael get ready for Tyler's party. They get even more personal when Ryan runs into Geoff while trying to get some pre-party snacks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, I am loving this and how it's going! I'm also so happy I have a laptop again so I can write when I want to and update more regularly! That being said, I actually start college the 27th so there may be a bit of a gap between updates as things get going and I get situated but we should be a-ok by the September rolls around. Other than that enjoy some of that sweet, sweet, Ramwood romancing and angst.

Michael's room was massive, to say the least. A huge bed in the middle of the left wall, walk-in closet filled with designer clothes in varying red hues, it was like something out of a Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

 

Ryan sat on the bed, rifling through the duffle bag of clothes Michael had told him to bring. He was beginning to gather that the lads liked to play dress-up. They had paid for all the clothes though, so he supposed he couldn't complain. He had set out three different outfits, carefully trying to figure out what blues he could mix. Michael was one the opposite side of the room digging through a drawer filled with lacey and strappy garments.

 

"I think I'm gonna go with this one," Ryan pointed to the outfit in the middle, a black crop top with pleather baby blue pants and black combat boots. The pants would be tight but he'd caught several stares at his butt since he began wearing form-fitting pants, so maybe it was worth it. Michael came over and scrutinized the clothing.

 

"None of the others are wearing pleather or a crop top so that should work," Michael nodded, "Now, what should I do for undergarments? Simple or racey?" 

 

Michael made his way over the drawer he was originally looking through, pulling out two tiny pairs of panties and holding them up. Ryan pretended to deliberate between the silky cherry red boyshorts and crimson lace thong with the strappy sides. 

 

"Simple," Ryan answered, pointing to the pair on the left, "It'll look like you weren't expecting to get laid and it matches your shirt better."

 

"Genius Haywood, pure genius!" 

 

"Hey Michael," Ryan started, sitting back down on the bed, "Can I ask you something? It's kind of personal so you don't have to answer if you don't wanna."

 

"Hit me."

 

"Why do you wear girl's underwear?" 

 

There was a small pause while Michael thought.

 

"A few reasons really," He replied, "Firstly, girls underwear makes your butt like nice and your package look twice as big. Second, the football guys love it. I'm sure it's some sort of psychological thing where it makes me still seem feminine so they can justify that it's not 'fully gay' or whatever. And lastly, I like them. They're prettier and nicer than dude's underwear."

 

"Oh, wow."

 

"Why do you ask? Looking to get a pair and impress that mystery man you're keen on?"

 

"I'm not  _ 'keen' _ on him," Ryan made sure to put extra emphasis on the word, "He's just...interesting. Unique."

 

"Unique is definitely a good word to use. Though, from what I heard about Thursday, violent may suit him better. Maybe volatile if you wanna get poetic."

 

"It wasn't that bad..."

 

"Didn't he  _ vault _ over a desk to kick Tyler Coe in the chest?"

 

"Well yeah, but he and Blaine were being assholes. And Blaine swung first."

 

"But didn't he start it all?"

 

Ryan didn't have a response to that. Thinking back, Geoff started it all by insulting Tyler and Blaine.

 

"Look," Michael said, laying out two nearly identical red button ups together on the bed before turning to Ryan, "If the rough-em-up, tough guy then stick with us, we can get you your pick of any guy from any sports team. You don't have to stoop to Mr. Goth Extrordinaire's level."

 

"His name is Geoff and I think there's more to him than that. Like I said, I think he's unique."

 

"Save unique for when you're out of this shit town where everyone knows your shit. Unique isn't going to do dick for you at school besides get you shoved into a locker. Trust me, you blend and fake it till you make it."

 

Ryan decided not to push it anymore. Michael seemed to be done with the subject anyway, moving to pick out a pair of pants to go with his shirt. After three different clothing changes and Michael taking twenty minutes to mess with Ryan's hair, they were ready to pile into Michael's car.

 

***

 

There were two pit stops before they actually went to the party. The first was Ryan's house to drop off his excess clothes, then the apparently traditional 7-11 stop. Michael had told him that it was lads tradition to raid 7-11 for various snacks and other goodies to pre-game with. Ryan had been sent in and given the task to get Michael some Corn Nuts but "only if they've got barbecue, if not just some Doritos or Cheez Balls. Whatever's closer."

 

He wandered the aisles, trying to figure out whether he was  _ actually _ hungry or if it was just the nerves gnawing at his belly. He figured a Slurpee and some Red Vines couldn't hurt either way.  He was in the middle of an intense debate over what neon, slush concoction to pour into his cup when a voice came from behind him.

 

"Come on, Mr. Interesting," Geoff said, gesturing to the machine, "There's no contest! You've got to go with banana!"

 

"I think I would actually rather drink piss."

 

"Listen, it's not the worst flavor out there."

 

"So what, then?" Ryan questioned going for the diet Coke flavor, "You some sort of 'Slurpee connoisseur'?"

 

"More of a Seven Eleven connoisseur, really. It's the only constant when you're always hopping from place to place."

 

"Military brat?" Ryan was doubtful about that, Geoff would have at least  _ some _ credit with the boys around school if his dad was military.

 

"Nope, just a shit dad who can't stay still for long. Westerburg will be high school number ten this year."

 

Geoff plucks some licorice from Ryan's bag as he passes, pouring himself a large banana Slurpee. He popped a bright red straw into the yellow mess and took a long pull. Ryan looked at him in disgust.

 

"Care for a hit?"

 

"Does your mommy know you drink that crap?"

 

"Not anymore, that old lady is long gone," He pushed forward before Ryan could say anything, "It's ok though. My dad's a real piece of work but the whole garbage fire taught me a valuable life lesson."

 

"Which was?"

 

"The world doesn't owe you a cent," Geoff suddenly got serious and pointed to Ryan, "You've probably got some big plans to run away to a prestigious college and marry a lawyer or some shit. But, one day, the sky is gonna collapse and it'll hurt like a bitch. That's why you gotta build some walls."

 

"So you're using the Seven Eleven to protect you from the sky?"

 

"Better than facing the reality that I'll be back on the road in six weeks," Geoff shrugged before changing the subject, "What about you,  _ James _ ? Don't suppose I can get any of your tragic backstory?"

 

"Not much to it," Ryan started, moving to grab Michael's Corn Nuts and smiling slightly when he realized Geoff was following, "I was born in the middle of bumfuck, bible belt Georgia. Everything was great until I turned fourteen caught a bad case of the gay."

 

"Yikes..."

 

"Yeah, my parents caught me in our barn in another man's lap when I was sixteen. They were real calm at first, telling me to come in the house and send the other guy home. I took my time but eventually went in. They were both sitting at the kitchen table, my mom was crying but my dad was all stoney. He said he was going to take my mom to go see dinner and a movie, that they'd be back in a few hours. 

 

"He said if I didn't have every trace of me out of that house by the time they got back he was going to take the shotgun from the barn and shoot me. So, they left and I did what I was told. I took every trace of me from that house. That meant taking all back all the money they owed me, the gun I'd helped my dad clean, and the old truck I'd been fixing up."

 

"Holy shit Haywood," Geoff gaped, Ryan took satisfaction in impressing the apparent rebel, "You're kind of a badass."

 

"Eh, it is what it is."

 

"So, that guy in the barn..." Geoff trailed off, tilting his head at Ryan.

 

"Some kid from Atlanta I'd met when we both got kicked out for using fake IDs," He caught on to what Geoff was insinuating and decided to go for flirty, it seems like the  _ Lad _ thing to do, "He was cute but not my type."

 

"So what is your type then?"

 

"The usual you know," Ryan made his way to the checkout with Geoff hot on his heels, "Tall, dark, brooding."

 

"Oh, really?"

 

"Oh yeah," Ryan drawled, "I just can't deny the pure magnetism possessed by a man with daddy issues and an affinity for artificial banana."

 

Geoff laughed as Ryan paid, trying to contest when Ryan paid for his Slushee but Ryan just stuck a Red Vine in his mouth to silence him. 

 

"Congrats, Haywood. You've got a triple ass combo," Geoff said, holding open the door for the other man.

 

"Oh?"

 

"Badass, smart ass, great ass."

 

Ryan had to laugh, if not at the absurdity of the comment then at the over exaggerated wink that followed it. He was ready to relish in the moment when a car horn broke it.

 

"You can play hanky-panky with the walking corpse later, Ryan!" Michael yelled from the driver's side window, "We can only push the boundary of fashionably late so far!"

 

"That's my cue," Ryan pointed a thumb to Michael, "I'll see you Monday?"

 

"I'll be counting the hours," Geoff kissed Ryan's knuckle before hopping on a motorcycle just to the right and speeding off.

 

Ryan got in the car and promptly ignored the look Michael gave him, opting to instead handing him his Corn Nuts and pretend to fix his hair in the visor mirror. Realizing they weren't moving but not wanting to cave he turned to Michael.

 

"Want a sip?" He tilted the Slushee cup to Michael. He scoffed in reply but there was a small smile on his lips.

 

"You are something else, Haywood."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I mean, don't we all just want a man with rampant daddy issues and a love of artificial banana? I know I do! And boy after that wouldn't you like to cozy up with some fluff? Too damn bad, we're heading back to Genghis Khan where we're gonna have some Angsty Boys TM. You thought the last chapter's cliffhanger was bad? Honey, you've got a big storm coming. See you soon...
> 
> -Sarah


	5. Dreams Are Coming True

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dreams may be coming true, but you have to wake up at some point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo, it's amazing how quickly you can get writing done when seasonal depression isn't kicking your ass. Hope y'all enjoy this next bit. While I know Ryan doesn't drink (if you're in the RT/AH fandom and don't know that, how?) the point of this chapter was to show the whole peer pressure and conformity that comes with being a Lad.
> 
> That being said for anyone uncomfortable with alcohol, skip ahead to the part where Ryan sees the Lads in a corner and for those uncomfortable with vomit skip the two paragraphs after Michael yells at Ryan about Jack.
> 
> Other than that, enjoy!

Any lingering fear Ryan had about nobody liking his outfit or it being too revealing left his mind the minute he entered the party. Even if someone  _ could _ see his outfit in the dark mood lighting, he was pretty sure he was more covered than most of the people here. His thought was only confirmed when Gavin walked up to them; forest green jumpsuit tied around his waist, showing off his black mesh tank top and tucked into his black combat boots. He took in Ryan's look with only mild scorn, so he considered it a win. Jeremy leaned around him to wave, looking much more casual in a pair of overalls and a short-sleeved, yellow, plaid shirt. 

 

"Did y'all find the booze yet?" Michael yelled over the music, leaning forward a bit. 

 

"Oh yeah," Jeremy piped up, throwing a thumb over his shoulder, "There's jungle juice and open bottles in the kitchen."

 

"Lead the way," Michael yelled, dragging Ryan by the wrist as he followed the others. Ryan's heart sank as he entered the kitchen. Not only was it well lit so everyone could see him, but it was also full of liquor and drunk people. Ryan swallowed thickly, trying not to look nervous as Jeremy filled cups with some light pink liquid from a huge bowl on the counter.

 

"None for me thanks," He waved his hand when he was handed a cup, "Not the biggest fan."

 

"How can you  _ not _ be a fan of alcohol?" Gavin asked loudly, drawing everyone's attention. Ryan began to sweat under everyone's scrutinizing eyes.

 

"I just, don't really like the taste of it is all," He murmured, looking at the ground a bit.

 

"Come on Rye," Michael chided, moving to his side to elbow him, "Tyler's jungle juice is always the best. You can hardly taste the booze."

 

"It is  _ really _ good, Ryan," Jeremy said, already refilling his cup. Ryan sighed before taking the cup, maybe he could just nurse it for the rest of the night and lie to everyone about being drunk. He took a sip, flipping off the Lads as they cheered. It was actually kinda good, he could really only taste the alcohol when he took a larger sip and even then it was only an afterburn. 

 

"That's the spirit, Haywood!" Michael clapped him on the back, "Now let's top 'em off and go dance boys!"

 

Before Ryan could protest Jeremy was refilling his cup to the brim. He sipped it down so he wouldn't splash everywhere as he made his way to the dancefloor. Going back into the heat of the party was oppressive, Ryan was glad he'd chosen the crop top as sweat immediately began to prickle along his neck and hairline. He attempted to dance along with the others, figuring his best bet was to just sway his hips and keep his hands in the air. He'd catch himself sipping from his cup occasionally, he tried to stop himself but every time he'd overheat his brain would magically forget about the alcohol.

 

At some point, Jeremy left and came back with more cups as well as some small bottles of liquor he'd procured from God knows where. Ryan fell into the same cycle again of forgetting about the alcohol in the cup and drinking after dancing too much. Either he was a lightweight or he'd misjudged the amount of alcohol in the juice because he was  _ feeling _ it. So much so that, despite his inner voice telling him no, he agreed when Jeremy handed him a tiny bottle of "some strawberry shit man, I don't know". It tasted like artificial strawberry and acetone but he shot it regardless. He's barely had time to recover from the burn before he was being dragged back to the kitchen by Michael.

 

"Tequila shots, motherfucker," He called over his shoulder, eagerly pulling Ryan like a kid yanking his mother towards the newest toy. The analogy made Ryan giggle, laughing out loud as they entered the kitchen. 

 

"You feeling it, buddy?" Jeremy asked, obviously drunk but not nearly at Ryan's level.

 

"Just a little," Ryan said, carefully taking the shot and ignoring whatever else Jeremy was handing him. He threw it back and immediately started coughing afterward. 

 

"Ryan, no," Jeremy squealed in delight, "there's an order to it."

 

Ryan watched intently as Jeremy licked his hand, sucked on the lime that was originally intended for him, and then took the drink. His face still puckered but it seemed more enjoyable than whatever Ryan had done.

 

"So lick, lime, shot?" Ryan questioned, holding up the new shot and lime wedge Jeremy had given him.

 

"Yeah, you lick your hand so you can get some salt," Jeremy explained, "So salt and then lime and then shot!"

 

"Not it's salt, shot, lime you bellend," Gavin chimed, leaning against the counter. That started an argument between the Lads that Ryan chose to ignore in favor of taking his shot like Jeremy had told him to.

 

"Look, you've got Ryan doing it wrong!" Michael pointed to Ryan.

 

"Really?" Ryan questioned, looking at his now empty shot glass, "Cause I feel great!"

 

"You're looking great too, Haywood," Ryan turned and saw Marcus from his homeroom wink and smile at him.

 

"Whoa," Ryan turned to the lads, "Did that just happen?"

 

"You're a lad now," Michael smiled, moving over to toss his arm around Ryan's shoulder, "You can get anybody you want, it's hunting season."

 

"Speaking of hunting season..." Jeremy trailed off, pointing ahead. There was Blaine, on a table, dressed entirely in his dad's camo. Tyler was below him, holding a pig pinata and looking far too pleased with himself.

 

"Attention fuckers," he called, silencing almost all of the party, "Blaine's got an important announcement!"

 

"I just wanted to let y'all know that we're gonna kick the Razorbacks ass on Sunday, and it's all thanks to you beautiful people," Blaine gestured to the crowd, nearly stumbling off the table. Ryan guessed he and Blaine were about on the same level, "Tyler, show 'em what we're gonna do to the Razorbacks!"

 

"Gonna make 'em go whee! Whee! Whee! Whee!" Tyler hollered, thrusting against the pig pinata. Everyone laughed except Gavin, who rolled his eye.

 

"Way to show maturity!" He called, voice barely audible over the laughter.

 

"Come on, Gavvy," Michael needled, "It's a party."

 

"And here comes the hosts," Jeremy supplied. They all looked up as Blaine and Tyler came over.

 

"You lovelies enjoying the party?" Blaine asked, moving to have an arm around both Michael and Jeremy.

 

"Definitely," Michael said, turning into Blaine's body to have more contact.

 

"Oh yeah," Jeremy agreed, seemingly oblivious to the flirting, "Great booze!"

 

Ryan watched carefully as they all chatted, keeping a close eye on Tyler as he moved in closer to Gavin. He already had his arm low on Gavin's waist, mindlessly tugging and pulling at the sleeves of the jumpsuit tied around his hips. Gavin was squirming as Tyler moved in closer, answering with an emphatic but quiet "no" to whatever the other man had whispered in his ear. Tyler seemed to keep pressing though, even as Gavin tried to subtly move away. Ryan glanced out the kitchen window and spoke before he could think.

 

"Hey Blaine," Ryan reached out to tap his chest and pointed to the large window, "I think I just saw some freshmen trying to jump the fence."

 

"What?" Blaine exclaimed, ripping himself away from Michael and Jeremy, "Ty, let's nab 'em!'

 

"You got it," Tyler ran off with Blaine. Michael and Jeremy seemed fine, getting more jungle juice and saying they were heading back to the dancefloor. Ryan's eyes followed them and he was startled when he turned back and saw Gavin glaring at him icily.

 

"I didn't need your help," Gavin said, giving Ryan the finger for good measure. Ryan observed the finger for a brief moment, wondering whether it was the alcohol in his system or the fact that Gavin was just a prick that made him want to be an asshole. He decided the reason didn't matter and he was gonna be an asshole anyway.

 

"Aw, thanks, Gavin," he reached out to fold the finger down, "But I don't really have to vomit right now."

 

Gavin harrumphed and grabbed a shot before storming back to the dancefloor. Ryan laughed but it was cut short when he looked to the front door of the party. Jack was walking in, looking around anxiously. He lit up when his eyes met Ryan's though.

 

"I can't believe you actually came," Ryan called, hoping he didn't sound nervous.

 

"It's exciting, right?" Jack gushed, looking around again, "Have you seen Tyler? I wanted to say hey, and thank him for the note."

 

"He's in the backyard but maybe you should wait a bit," Ryan tried, "Enjoy the party and keep yourself from looking too eager!"

 

"I don't know when I'll have the confidence to do this again, Rye! I've gotta go do it!"

 

Ryan watched as he scurried to the backyard, he thought about running after him and following but when he went to move he saw the Lads snickering in a corner.

 

"Can you believe Padildo actually came?" Gavin whispered, hunched over with the others.

 

"That took some guts," Jeremy whispered back, sounding a bit nervous.

 

"I know," Michael said, sounding genuinely impressed before his tone turned sinister, "Let's rip 'em out."

 

"What're you doing?" Ryan asked, spooking all them. They stood up and stared at him, carefully moving something pink behind them. Ryan pushed forward and grabbed at it. It was the pig pinata from before, only this time the snout was covered in orange Halloween tinsel and there were crudely drawn glasses around the eyes. It took a second for his alcohol muddled mind to piece together that it was supposed to be Jack. 

 

"It's phase two of the prank," Michael supplied, moving to grab the pinata. Ryan kept it away from him though. His stomach gurgled in protest at the sudden movement but he persisted, "Give it, Haywood."

 

"No, this is too far," Ryan said, glad they were hidden away in the corner and this wouldn't be too much a of scene, "Embarrassing Jack in front of people at lunch is one thing. This is the whole senior class plus people from around town. He'll be devastated."

 

"That's the point, genius," Gavin called over Michael's shoulder but he held up a hand, quieting him.

 

"Remember all that shit I said about flying with the eagles? I wasn't just dicking around," Michael took a step towards Ryan who in turn took one back, still holding the pinata above his head, "This is where you prove that you can fly with us."

 

"Maybe I don't wanna fly with you then," Ryan used all the strength to bring the pinata down over his knee, effectively breaking it in half. He tore the tinsel beard off of it for good measure. An awful feeling began rising up in his stomach, he thought it was fear at the look Michael was giving him but he quickly realized it was something much worse. He wanted to warn the others but Michael had other plans.

 

"You think because you broke that stupid thing we won't be able to mess with Padildo?" He looked Ryan in the eye, "You think he's ever gonna have any friends in this town? He's a lost cause. He could drop dead and nobody would give a rat's ass. You've got a chance to make an impression on the people in this town, be remembered for something other than being the random Georgia homo with no friends or parents. Don't blow that on Pattillo!"

 

Ryan opened his mouth to retaliate but was interrupted by his own vomit. With nowhere to go he lurched forward, spewing it all down the front of Michael's shirt. He leant back in disgust, looking down at the mess on his shirt. 

 

"You know what,  _ Jones _ ," Ryan said after he recovered, "Lick it up, I'm done. I'm done with you and your stupid fucking cult. I'll see you assholes in hell."

 

"Damn right you're done," Michael called out, Ryan having already turned to leave, "Come Monday you're at the bottom of the food chain, even Padildo won't want to talk to you!"

 

He was right about that but for a different reason. Ryan made his way to the backyard and saw Jack sitting glumly against the fence. He figured if he was committing social suicide, he may as well go all out. Jack had other friends, he'd be ok without Ryan.

 

"He told me he didn't write the note," was all Jack said when Ryan approached, not even bothering to look up at him.

 

"I know," Ryan admitted, "I did. The Lads wanted to pull a prank on you and I helped. Jack, I'm so sorry-"

 

"Was it worth it, was the popularity as spectacular as you imagined?" Ryan heard a sniffle and his heart twisted at the thought of Jack crying because of something he did.

 

"Not really. Besides, I just threw it all away along with everything I ate today," Ryan gestured to the house, hoping he could at least make Jack laugh.

 

"So all your friendships are disposable then? Should've known I wasn't special," Jack was looking him in the eye now. Ryan tried to respond but Jack cut him off, "Go home Ryan, leave me alone."

 

Jack laid his head back down and Ryan knew it was over. He turned and left the yard, starting the long walk back to his house. As much as he racked his brain, he couldn't find any silver lining here. He had ruined everything. He was completely and utterly fucked.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone wants to draw the boys in their outfits feel free! And also send it to me so I can see it and tag it in the story, especially if it's Gavin because I think that outfit would be cute as fuck.
> 
> We actually won't be in any particular story next time we meet. I've got the next story in the cycle on hiatus so I won't get burnt out and so I can put out some one-shots. If you've any suggestions/requests as far as what one-shot you'd like to see, feel free to leave it in the comments or message me on Tumblr!
> 
> Remember to like, comment, and subscribe if you enjoy!
> 
> -Sarah

**Author's Note:**

> Next time we meet, we'll be back in Los Santos with a hopeless mercenary who's trying to reclaim his chance at love with a golden boy. If you want more details, listen to Genghis Khan by Miike Snow.
> 
> See ya next time!
> 
> -Sarah!


End file.
